Quick & Easy Nettle Flatbread (gf + vegan)

It’s my favorite time of the year now. The last weeks of May have always been my favorite, as usually this magical summer weather somehow appears here in the North and just like that, summer has arrived. It’s so green everywhere and all the flowers are blooming. There are so many pretty flowers and it feels like I’m seeing them for the first time every year. I have a huge love for lilacs and apple blossoms and I might have snatched a few branches on my latest bike ride back from yoga…but the scent! It’s just so gorgeous, isn’t it? And I’m kind of loving the fact that I don’t need to do my weekly flower shopping anymore..unless I get caught in action :)

The other thing that I’m loving about this season is nettle. It’s my favorite superfood of all times, as it’s a true powerhouse of nutrients and I can pick it up myself. Back in 2009, when I started to get really interested in nutrition, superfoods, raw food and all that, nettle was one of the first things I ever bought and tried in order to make myself feel better. I was sick all the time then and kind of tired, so I decided to start nourishing myself with real, wholesome food. I started making green smoothies, raw porridges and all kinds of new exciting recipes that I found online. I picked up some nettle, dried it like a bouquet of flowers above my bed, and then used it in everything: in my morning smoothies, in soups, sauces, omelettes and even in baked goods. Sometimes I took a nettle extract too, that my future mother-in-law makes herself and that I dream of making myself in the future too. Fast-forward to present day, I still love nettle. I use it often, maybe not that intensely than before, but it still is one my absolute favorite add-ons for a true health boost. And it makes my hair strong and shiny, so I’ll probably keep having it till the end haha.

But onto the recipe! We picked up a huge bag of nettle leaves one Sunday and I had so many plans for it. I’ve made some nettle pesto and nettle pancakes before and they are both great, but before I got to those or onto any new adventures, I decided to try nettle on a very simple bread. I’m a fan of all kinds of very easy + very quick flatbreads that can be made in minutes and require no dough-covered hands, like the three ingredient sweet potato flatbread. This nettle flatbread is even more simple than the sweet potato one, as you can just throw all the ingredients together in a big bowl and then spread the whole thing on a baking sheet and shove it in the oven. The only thing that takes some time is finding the nettles, naturally. Luckily, they do seem to pop up quite effectively everywhere so you might find them surprisingly close. Just remember to wear some gloves to avoid all that nasty itching! And if there’s no nettles in sight, you can just skip it or use some other greens, like spinach, kale or even basil to bring some green vibes to this otherwise simple flatbread. Topped with some avocado, cherry tomatoes, sprouts and some sea salt, this makes a great pick-me up savory treat whenever you’re in need of some wholesome energy :) Enjoy firends! xo

Nettle Flatbread (gf + vegan)

notes: if you’re not able to have any nettle, you can just leave it out or replace it with some other greens, like spinach, kale or basil. and some other grains would work well here too, like quinoa or buckwheat flakes.

1. Preheat the oven to 430 °F / 220 °C. Rinse and drain the nettles and chop them finely using a pair of scissors or a knife. Add all ingredients into a big bowl and mix well. The dough should be very sticky, but not too runny. If it seems too runny, add a bit of rolled oats.

2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the dough evenly to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the seeds on top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the bread has got a beautiful golden brown color. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Cut into pieces and serve for example with some avocado, cherry tomatoes and sprouts, and enjoy!

Hello lovely, this has become one of my favorite recipes and I often make it with spinach when I don’t have nettles. I’ve never tried freezing it, however, and I wonder if you have. Would like to make this for our housewarming in large quantities and in advance…

Yay, I’m happy to hear you like the recipe! I haven’t freezed this bread but I’ve done it for other flatbreads and that has worked well. So I’d say you’d be safe with this one but maybe keep the spinach in minimum so that it doesn’t get soggy when reheating.. let me know how it goes and happy housewarming!